If You Begin with an Apology, Don't Press "Send"

The above is an actual email I received. Other than those that begin with "Hey," it represents the type of message/sender I immediately delete and block. Why?

There are many people who believe that you should never apologize. (It is even one of Gibbs' rules on the TV show NCIS!) The reason is simple: It shows weakness. Moreover, as the political adage goes, if you have to explain, you are loosing. If you have to explain the worth of your communication, you have lost the sale even before you have made the ask.

I will say something in favor of apologies. If offered immediately when the offense becomes known, it is probably sincere. When Will Smith apologized to Chris Rock months after he slapped him on national TV, no one believed him. Anything other than an immediate apology is self-serving. The offender wants to be able to say, "But I apologized!" Meaningless. Nonsense. Worthless.

As for business messages that begin with an apology, they show that the writer does not really have faith in the services or products they are offering. Why would I apologize to someone for reaching out to them if they are looking to hire staff, looking for a job, or in need of a professional writer, when I am offering to help them solve their problem? It makes no sense.

Now, to be fair, in the above message the writer did not begin, "I apologize for disturbing you...," but the tone is clearly apologetic. If you are good at what you do, and can deliver value to someone in need, if you can eliminate their pain, be proud, be confident, be gracious. No one need ever apologize for offering help. For that matter, no one need apologize for seeking new business.

One note of caution: Do your research before approaching a prospect. Go to their website and see what services they offer. If they don't have a website, forget about them. In 2022, a company without a website is not worth your time. If they do have a website, read it. Then, unlike the above, don't send a generic message. Make it specific. There is no better sign of incompetence than not being properly prepared.

ARE YOU AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD? THEN I INVITE YOU TO BE A GUEST ON MY PODCAST, BRUCE HURWITZ PRESENTS: MEET THE EXPERTS. FOR COMPLETE DETAILS, TO APPLY AND TO SCHEDULE AN INTERVIEW VISIT: https://hsstaffing.com/video-podcast

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Future Articles:

• How to Qualify a Candidate
• They are Going to Take Your Job!
• Redundancies
• How to Interview (Both Sides of the Table)
• Corporate Values
• See No Evil
• Customer Service
• History Means Irreplaceability